A braided Joel Embiid says the Sixers' first practice of the season had a “different intensity” to it.

The Sixers figure to be one of the best defensive teams in the league this season after acquiring Josh Richardson from the Miami Heat and signing Al Horford.

With Richardson and Horford in the mix, Philly has four elite defenders in those two, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

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Embiid lost around 25 pounds this summer, which is big because the Sixers need their center to be in better condition, especially once the playoffs start.

Last season for the Sixers, Embiid played in 64 games. The two-time All-Star averaged 27.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 blocks while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 30.0 percent from beyond the arc and 80.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The next step for Embiid is to become more consistent with his 3-point game. NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said in July he wants Embiid to get in better shape, too. Losing the 25 pounds is a good step in the right direction for Embiid.

The Sixers have a really good shot at winning the Eastern Conference in 2019-20 now that Kawhi Leonard is out West on the Los Angeles Clippers. Philly’s starting lineup of Simmons, Richardson, Tobias Harris, Horford and Embiid is as good as it gets in the NBA.